Pivotal frame support for mounting alternately spaced bending rollers in different directions and twisting attachment secured to said support



Dec. 9. 1969 A. w. LAGMAN ET AL 3,482,425

PIVOTAL FRAME SUPPORT FOR MOUNTING ALTERNATELY SPACED BENDING ROLLERS IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND TWISTING ATTACHMENT SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT 2 Sheets-5heet 1 Filed Dec. 10, 1965 INVENTOR Ange: w. ummmv a fins Mane L, aux-v15)? BY 6 l ,4.

ARNEY Dec. 9. 1969 A. w. LAGMAN ET AL 3,482,425

PIVOTAL FRAME SUPPORT FOR MOUNTING ALTERNATELY SPACED BENDING ROLLERS IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND TWISTING ATTACHMENT SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT Filed Dec. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MIMI QN I

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,482,425 PIVOTAL FRAME SUPPORT FOR MOUNTING AL- TERNATELY SPACED BENDING ROLLERS IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND TWISTING AT- TACHMENT SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT Alfred W. Lagman, Kenner, and Raymond L. Culver, Metairie, La., assignors to Inventions, Inc., Metairie, La., a corporation of Louisiana Filed Dec. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 512,841 Int. Cl. B21d /14, 9/10; B21b 15/00 U.S. Cl. 72-174 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pivotal support upon which are mounted a plurality of spaced apart bending rolls, said'support being hinged to the frame to permit the orientation of the rollers alternately in either vertical relation or in horizontal relation whereby different lengths of stock are accommodated by the bending rollers. In addition a twisting socket is connected to the power, turning the rollers to be rotated thereby.

This invention relates to a rolling and bending machine and more particularly to a machine capable of rolling and bending bars, pipe, flat iron, channels, I beams and tubing into curves of various radii without kinking or buckling.

The bending of metals has for many years been an expensive proposition because in order to achieve curves of different radii without kinking or buckling, the metals to be bent had to be packed with sand or some other material, if tubular, or a source of heat had to be applied to the area of curvature of solid and tubular materials. The packing of sand and the heating meant many extra steps and consequently a great increase in cost if the material was to be bent and still retain a smooth kinkfree surface.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine for bending metals into curves of various radii.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a machine for bending both solid and tubular materials of circular or rectangular configuration into various curves.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a machine for reciprocating a tube or bar through a bending operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a machine for bending a tube or bar into curves of various radii without kinking or buckling.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a machine having supporting and pressure rollers capable of bending tubes and bars of various dimensions.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a machine for constantly bending a tube or bar in a greater degree of arc smoothly and uniformly as the material reciprocates, without kinking or collapsing the material.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine for bending a plurality of tubes or bars of various dimensions simultaneously.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a machine for bending a bar or tube wherein the material is gradually bent into curves of various radii while remaining within the machine.

These and other objects will be apparent from a consideration of the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the machine showing rollers which are capable of handling tubes or bars of various dimensions;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the machine;

Patented Dec. 9, 1969 FIG. 3 is in part a section of the front view of the machine taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an opposite side view of the machine.

Referring now to the drawings, the tube and bar bending machine comprises a box frame 1, a horizontal platform 2 pivotally secured to the top of the frame 1 and mounted to overlap one edge of the frame 1. On the upper surface of platform 2, a pair of vertical side plates 3 and 4 are fixed parallel to each other; plate 4 is positioned along the overlapping edge of the platform 2 and plate 3 is positioned intermediate the ends of the platform 2. A pair of braces 5 are secured between the side plates 3 and 4 to help hold the side plates in spaced aligned relationship to each other. The means for supporting the materials to be bent and for moving the materials through the machine comprises a pair of identical support rollers 6 and 7 having a plurality of matching grooves and slots of various dimensions around the periphery thereof, the grooves and slots being lined with a material having a higher coefiicient of friction than steel, such as a vulcanized mixture of rubber, asphalt and grit (Carborundum or equivalent silicon carbide grit in desired grade of fineness). The mixture may be of asphalt and grit. The mixture is grouted into the grooves to form friction zones. The support rollers 6 and 7, which are identical, are fixed to shafts 8 and 9 which are rotatably mounted horizontal and parallel to each other between side plates 3 and 4, one end of shaft 8 extending through plate 3 and the opposite end of shaft 8 extending through plate 4. On the end extending through plate 4, a driving gear 10 and a driven gear 11 are mounted on the shaft. Shaft 9 is rotatably secured on one end to plate 3, its opposite end extending through plate 4 and has a driven gear 12 mounted thereon. In order to impart the same peripheral speed to rollers 6 and 7, driven gear 12 and driving gear 10 have the same number of teeth and are rotatably coupled by a chain 26. Support rollers 6 and 7 will now provide a platform of solid pressure points on which the material to be bent rests. In order to provide a fulcrum and movable vertical force, a pressure roller 13 having grooves and slots identical to support rollers 6 and 7 is fixed to a shaft 14 (not shown). Both ends of shaft 14 are rotatably mounted in slideable bearings 15 which are mounted in side plates 3 and 4 and capable of vertical movement therein.

Bearings 15 are mounted such that the axis of shaft 14 is above rollers 6 and 7 and along a line midway between shafts 8 and 9 so that, at all times, shaft 14 is equidistant from shafts 8 and 9. It is desirable that pressure roller 13 lie along the midpoint line in order to balance the forces on support rollers 6 and 7 when roller 13 is brought into contact with the material to be bent. In order to control and adjust the pressure that roller 13 applies to the material to be bent, a pair of screw jacks 16, or similar adjustment means, are mounted on top of plates 3 and 4. One end of each of the jacks 16 is secured to bearings 15.

Jacks 16 are rotatably coupled so that when one is actuated, as by a lever 17, each jack will travel an equal amount in the same direction. This is desirable in order that bearings 15, and consequently roller 13, remain equidistant from rollers 6 and 7 as roller 13 travels toward and away from platform 2 while remaining parallel to rollers 6 and 7.

A driving means, such as a reversible motor 25, is fixed to the undersurface of platform 2, and a switch 18 for controlling motor 25 is mounted on the frame 1.

In order to adjust the speed at which rollers 6 and 7 rotate, motor 25 is coupled to a gear reducer 19 which is secured to the undersurface of platform 2. Gear reducer 19 drives driven gear 11 on shaft -8. In order to twist square bars, a vertical end plate 20 is fixed to the upper surface of platform 2 parallel to side plate 3, between plate 3 and the nearest edge of platform 2.

A coupling 21 having a rectangular recess 22 in one end and an opening 23in the opposite end, the Opening 23 adapted to receive and secure the end of shaft 8 extending through plate 3 therein, is rotatably mounted by means of retainer 27 on end plate 20 in axial alignment with shaft 8. When shaft 8 is rotated, coupling 21 is also rotated so that a workpiece inserted in recess 22 will rotate with coupling 21.

When it is desired to twist a square bar, one end is inserted in recess 22 and the opposite end is held stationary by conventional clamping means (not shown), until the bar assumes the desired degree of twist.

Platform 2 and consequently all the apparatus mounted thereon is capable of pivoting 90 about hinge 24 which pivotally connects platform 2 to frame 1; when platform 2 is pivoted about hinge 24 a full 90 degres, rollers 6, 7 and 13 are vertical and material traveling through the machine will extend horizontally rather than vertically when curved. The advantages of this degree of flexibility are obvious, particularly in a building with a low ceiling.

In operation, a workpiece to be curved is placed in the correct dimensioned groove in support rollers 6 and 7 and motor 25 is actuated. Upper pressure roller 13 is lowered until the matching groove comes in contact with the workpiece to be bent. As roller 13 applies pressure to the workpiece, the frictional force between the workpiece and the supporting rollers 6 and 7 cause the workpiece to be carried-through the machine, and simultaneously the pressure applied by roller 13 causes the workpiece to bend. The more pressure that is applied to the workpiece by roller 13, the greater is the degree of curvature that the workpiece will assume.

When the workpiece passes through the machine, the motor 25 is-reversed and the workpiece passes through the machine in the reverse direction. As the workpiece reciprocates through the machine, roller 13 is gradually lowered to increase the pressure on the workpiece until the workpiece is curved to form a complete circle, if desired.

The adjustable vertical force applied by roller 13 is the bending force which causes the workpiece being bent to assume a smooth arc without kinks or destruction of the workpiece, and the reciprocation of the workpiece allows the pressure to be applied gradually. Therefore, the workpiece is bent in a gradual constant arc smoothly and uniformly with each pass.

The size, shape and number of workpieces that can be bent simultaneously is only limited by the size of the rollers used and the size and shape of the grooves in the rollers.

While specific details of construction have been referred to in describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that other details of construction can be utilized within the spirit of the invention,

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for bending tubes and bars comprising:

a frame;

a platform hingedly mounted on said frame for pivotal movement;

a pair of spaced apart support rollers having grooves around the periphery thereof, rotatably mounted on said platform;

a pressure roller having identical grooves as said support rollers rotatably mounted on said platform above and equidistant from said support rollers;

adjustment means for reciprocating said pressure roller towards and away from said support rollers; and

drive means for rotating said support rollers clockwise and counterclockwise alternately, the pivotal movement of said platform permitting horizontal or vertical orientation of said rollers in the same spaced apart relationship.

2. A machine for bending tubes and bars in accordance with claim 1 in which the grooves on said support rollers are lined with a material having a higher coefiicient of friction than metal.

3. A machine for bending tubes and bars in accordance with claim 1 in which the drive means for rotating said support rollers comprises a reversible motor.

4. A machine for bending tubes and bars in accordance with claim 1 which comprises a vertical plate having an orifice therein mounted on the upper surface of said platform, the orifice being in coaxial alignment with one of said support rollers, and a coupling rotatably mounted on said vertical plate within said orifice, one end of said coupling being secured to said coaxial support roller to be rotated therewith, the opposite end having a rectangular recess therein capable of receiving the end of a rectangular workpiece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 446,132 .2/1891 Haugh 72-175 629,496 7/1899 Diescher 72-173 1,040,382 10/1912 Mosby 72-175 1,453,953 5/1923 Schneider 72-175 3,267,714 8/ 1966 Phillips 72-299 2,902,080 9/1959 Fuchs et al. 72-299 3,182,480 5/1965 DiMenichi et al. 72-299 2,242,135 5/ 1941 Mertz 72-174 3,319,449 5/1967 Hill 72-237 RICHARD J. HERBST, Primary Examiner A. L. HAWS, Assistant Examiner U.S. c1. X. R. 72-168, 

